Cockroach capturing device



April 1945. F. J. SULLIVAN COCKROACH CAPTURING DEVICE Filed Oct. 18, 1943 T m m m m Fm/vcEsJ SULLIVAN.

A7 TORNEY.

Patented Apr. 3, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE oocKRoAon CAPTURING nnvrcnf Frances J. Sullivan, Los Angeles, (lalif. Application October 18, 1943, Serial No. 506,657

Claims. (Cl. 43-421) This-invention relates to a capturing device for cockroaches, and has for one of its objects to provide a receptacle of such construction that the roaches will be attracted by food and may freely enter the receptacle, the food-container therein being of such arrangement that the cockroaches will be confined, and may thereafter be destroyed.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a housing or receptacle of such construction that the container and captured cockroaches therein may be removed, and that all parts may be kept in a sanitary condition, said container consisting of a single strip of material incised and bent to form connected parts and adapted to be collapsed for shipment; said construction requiring no hinges or metal parts so that manufacture may be carried on at very limited expense, and that the device will be durable in use.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear as the specification proceeds and the novel features of the same will be fully set forth in the claims hereto attached.

The invention consists of the new and useful construction, combination and arrangements of parts as described herein and claimed, and as shown in the accompanying drawing, it being understood that I may make changes in form, size, proportions and minor details of construction, said changes being within the scope of the invention as claimed.

The preferred form of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 shows a plan view of the blank strip of material adapted to be bent in producing the housing or receptacle;

Figure 2, a perspective view of the receptacle, with the front cover folded outward to disclose the interior;

Figure 3, a front view of the receptacle; and

Figure 4, a vertical section taken along line 4-4 of Figure 3.

While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention, I wish to have it understood that various changes or modifications may be made within the scope of the claims hereto attached without departing from the spirit of the invention. 7

Referring to the drawing in detail, the parts of the housing or receptacle shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4 are constructed of a single blank strip or sheet of material as shown in Figure 1, prefer ably consisting of a piece of cardboard suitably incised and bent to provide certain operating parts to be described hereinafter.

The blank I for my receptacle comprises a long,

narrow strip, preferably of cardboard or similar material, and is weakened along transverse lines 2, 3, 4 and 5 to be bendable thereon and to provide a base 6, a back I, an upper flap 8 projecting from the upper end of the back and a lower flap-9 projecting from the front edge of the base.

The back section I is formed with side Wings 10 bendable about lines i I and having outer edges l2 which taper toward the top. The outer and bottom edges of the wings have spaced flanges i3 projecting therefrom, the said flanges forming a serrated contour for the wings and being bendable at a right angle thereto.

The upper flap 8, which may be bent about the lines 4 and 5 to furnish a short top section I4 for the receptacle, is slightly narrower than the main "length of the blank, as shown at l5, and is stepped down again, as at l6, intermediate its length, to form a still narrower end section IT. The latter section may be bent about lines l8 and I9 to bend into 'the receptacle, and is again bent near its extreme edge, as at 20, to provide a ledge 2|.

Where the top section I4 joins the back I, I provide a slot 22 adapted to allow a supporting cord to pass therethrough.

The lower flap 9 is also somewhat narrower than the body portion of the blank.

To form the blank into a receptacle, the back section is turned upward at lin 3, the side wings l0 are bent forward about lines I I and the flanges I3 are bent inward to form a partial front, the

spaces between the flanges being sufiiciently large to allow the cockroaches to crawl therethrough.

Next the top flap 8 is folded forward and downward in the manner illustrated in Figure 2, with the section l5 overlying the "uppermost flanges l3 and the section I! turned inwardly above the next set of flanges to project into the interior of the receptacle, whereby the ledge 2| is supported in horizontal position substantially midway of the height of the receptacle and substantially midway between the front and rear walls thereof.

Then the lower flap 9 is bent upward to form a front closure for the receptacle and is secured in place by means of a string 23 passing through registering holes 24 in the top and bottom flaps 8 and- 9. The latter are made slightly narrower container from escaping. The container is formed with a relatively fiat bottom section adapted for accommodation on the base 6 between the flanges l3 projecting from the bottom edges of the wings ID.

The cockroach capturing device should be placed near drains or pipes. It may be pushed up behind the sink, or hung up near places where cockroaches have been observed, by placing a cord or wire around the rim of the container 01' bowl 25 and guiding the same through the slot 22.

If it is desired to push the trap under a low shelf, the bowl may be placed in the receptacle sidewise and the back may be used as the base for the trap.

To dispose of the captured cockroaches, one of the ,Wings may *be opened, the bowl withdrawn, and' hot salty water poured into the bowl and the contents emptied down the sewer.

While my inventionv relates principally to a device for capturing cockroaches, it may be used to advantage in trapping water bugs and other insects having similar crawling, climbing and exploring habits.

It will also be understood, of course, that the receptacle may be constructed of wood, sheet metal or other material, but cardboard or similar material is preferred on account of lesser cost.

I claim:

1. In a device for the purpose described, a receptacle comprising a strip of material incised and bent to provide a base, a back member bent to provide a pair of wings with bendable spaced flanges, one termina1 of the strip being bent toward the base from the back and provided with a ledge, the opposite end portion of the strip being bent from the base for covering parts or said receptacle, and a trap container disposed in the receptacle underneath the ledge.

2. In a device of the character described, a receptacle comprising a single strip of material apertured and bent to provide a base member, a back member provided with tapered wings having spaced flanges and with a ledge, and a trap con tainer within the receptacle underneath the ledge.

3. In a device of the character described, a blank strip of material comprising a base portion, a bendable back portion projecting from one edge thereof and having bendable lateral wings adapted to form sides for a receptacle, the wings having serrated edges adapted to fold so as to form a partial front for the receptacle, a flap projecting from the free edge of the back portion for folding downward in interlocking relation with the serrated edges and having a bottom extremity projecting inside of the receptacle, a second flap projecting from the opposite edge of the base for folding over the front of the re ceptacle, and means for securing the second flap upon the first flap.

4. In a device of the character described, a receptacle having a pair of opposing walls, spaced flanges projecting from corresponding edges of the walls toward one another, and a cover for the flanges, the cover being narrower than the spacing between the walls to leave the spaces between the fiangeslopen for insects to pass through.

5. In a device of the character described, a receptacle having a trap container mounted therein and having a pair of opposing walls, spaced flanges projecting from corresponding edges of the walls toward one another, and a flap hinged between the walls and. bent to over lie some of the flanges and to project into the receptacle and toward the trap container.

FRANCES J. SULLIVAN. 

